Sports Medicine Physicians: Career Overview
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent injuries that occur during sporting events, athletic training, and physical activities.
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The Daily Work of Sports Medicine Physicians Take On?
The core tasks performed by sports medicine physicians span:
- Diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
- Order and interpret the results of laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging procedures.
- Advise against injured athletes returning to games or competition if resuming activity could lead to further injury.
- Record athletes' medical care information, and maintain medical records.
- Record athletes' medical histories, and perform physical examinations.
- Examine and evaluate athletes prior to participation in sports activities to determine level of physical fitness or predisposition to injuries.
- Coordinate sports care activities with other experts, including specialty physicians and surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, or coaches.
- Provide education and counseling on illness and injury prevention.
What Sports Medicine Physicians Need to Know
Effective sports medicine physicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Sports Medicine Physicians Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Athletic Team Physician
- Industrial Sports Medicine Professional
- Industrial Sports Medicine Specialist
- Nonsurgical Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician
- Orthopedic Team Physician
- Pediatric Sports Medicine Specialist
- Physician
- Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician
How Many Sports Medicine Physicians Are There?
The U.S. employs around 636,672 sports medicine physicians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +2.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Sports Medicine Physicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $115,792 |
| Hourly median | $55.67 |
| 10th percentile | $78,089 |
| 25th percentile | $96,941 |
| 75th percentile | $134,644 |
| 90th percentile | $153,495 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Sports Medicine Physicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $238,870 |
| New York | $237,710 |
| North Carolina | $236,970 |
| Utah | $232,740 |
| Delaware | $232,180 |
| Ohio | $231,300 |
| Rhode Island | $229,340 |
| West Virginia | $228,680 |
| Connecticut | $227,720 |
| Arizona | $223,680 |
| Illinois | $218,880 |
| Massachusetts | $216,170 |
| Puerto Rico | $211,700 |
| Maryland | $209,370 |
| California | $201,510 |
| Michigan | $197,950 |
| Pennsylvania | $163,100 |
| Kansas | $140,330 |
| District of Columbia | $74,650 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for sports medicine physicians vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other U.S. Territories | $211,700 | 0.3% | 0.45 |
| Middle Atlantic | $199,012 | 16.6% | 1.24 |
| Great Lakes | $183,977 | 20.6% | 1.57 |
| New England | $181,974 | 5.4% | 1.14 |
| Far Western US | $115,922 | 11.4% | 0.73 |
| Rocky Mountains | $108,612 | 2.4% | 0.71 |
| Southeast | $50,284 | 24.9% | 1.08 |
| Plains States | $35,517 | 5.4% | 0.91 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Sports Medicine Physicians
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, NC | NC | $238,520 | 70 |
| Rochester, NY | NY | $237,660 | 420 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | TN | $236,970 | 160 |
| Odessa, TX | TX | $234,850 | 40 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | WA | $234,800 | 40 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | MI | $234,380 | 310 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | WV | $233,240 | 60 |
| Sandusky, OH | OH | $233,170 | 130 |
Industry Breakdown
Most sports medicine physicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 258,240 | $235,660 |
| Educational Services | 10,850 | $72,170 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2,280 | $221,680 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,670 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,330 | n/a |
| Finance and Insurance | 770 | $227,720 |
| Manufacturing | 220 | $88,370 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 200 | $136,060 |
Sports Medicine Physicians work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for sports medicine physicians is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Physical Proximity
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Chiropractors (Primary-Long)
- Podiatrists (Primary-Long)
- Physical Therapists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Long)
- Dermatologists (Supplemental)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Students preparing for sports medicine physicians often complete programs in:
60 programs across 15 majors
- Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Multiple-Pathway Medical Fellowship Programs
- Allergy and Immunology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Internal Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Orthopedic Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Osteopathic Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Otolaryngology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Pathology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Pediatrics Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Preventive Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Radiation Oncology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 2 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1229.06 (Physicians, All Other).
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